peninsula
A peninsula is a land mass lying in a body of water , which protrudes above the water level even at high tide , which is predominantly, but not completely, surrounded by water, but still has a natural connection to the mainland .
Peninsulas can have an area of up to several million square kilometers , such as Italy or the Iberian Peninsula , but they can also be so small that their width and length (which usually exceeds the width) are only a few hundred meters.
Manifestations
One form of the peninsula is the headland and the particularly narrow spit that has been washed up . If a peninsula is located in inland water (lake, river), it is also referred to as an "inland peninsula".
Delimitation between islands and peninsulas
The German word peninsula originated as a loan translation of the Latin word peninsula, which literally means "fast island". The Latin expression is still widely used today , particularly through the English language (Peninsula), Spanish language (Península) and French language (Péninsule).
- Peninsulas are often former islands that got a connection to the mainland through silting, for example Gibraltar and the Crimea. Conversely, a peninsula may also be declared an island in linguistic usage, as it has acquired a corresponding waterfront position over time; see. Neuenhagen Island .
- The three-sided environment of water and the connection to the mainland are mostly of natural origin in peninsulas. Artificial structures such as canals that separate a natural peninsula from the mainland do not necessarily make them an island in everyday language. An example of this is the Peloponnese which, despite the Corinth Canal, is only considered a peninsula. The same applies to Jutland with the Kiel Canal running through to the south . A counterexample is Samosir , originally a peninsula, it only became an island through a canal. There are also artificial islands , such as the Danube Island , which were created by artificial watercourses.
- Bridges or artificial dams that permanently connect an island to the mainland usually do not make it a peninsula. Despite the Hindenburg dam connecting it to the coast , Sylt is an island, and the same applies to the largest German island, Rügen , with the Rügen dam connecting to the mainland .
- Human impacts that connected an island to the mainland and that were forgotten can lead to a former island being classified as a peninsula over time. The Fischland-Darß-Zingst located between Rostock and Stralsund is now regarded as a peninsula, although it used to be an island (chain). Also Holnis , an original island on the Baltic Sea, is now considered peninsula.
- There can also be peninsulas on islands. Examples are peninsulas on Great Britain and Ireland . Even peninsulas can in turn have peninsulas, and these in turn can have further peninsulas. Example: Jutland - Djursland - Mols .
Some more famous peninsulas
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Europe |
Asia
America |
Australia Africa Antarctica |
See also
References and comments
- ↑ Duden - German Universal Dictionary. 5th edition. Dudenverlag, Mannheim 2003, (keyword “peninsula”).
- ^ Insel-Lexikon, definition
- ↑ The Brockhaus in six volumes. Mannheim 2008 (keyword "peninsula")
- ↑ Duden - German Universal Dictionary. 5th edition. Dudenverlag, Mannheim 2003, (keyword “peninsula”).
- ↑ The Brockhaus in six volumes. Mannheim 2008 (keyword "peninsula")
- ↑ The Brockhaus in six volumes. Mannheim 2008 (keyword "peninsula")
